


"Bet."

by MusicOfTheMountain



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Meet-Cute, Mutual Pining, Sexual Content, couples therapy, eventually, probably, rated M for now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:08:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29327553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicOfTheMountain/pseuds/MusicOfTheMountain
Summary: “I’ll fall for you if you fall for me.”“Deal.”For the prompt/in response to the tweet: "Anyone want to take couples counseling and see at what point the therapist realizes we don't even know each other?"
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 8
Kudos: 51





	"Bet."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm helping myself to this prompt, thank you.

“No, you don’t understand, she’s _so_ good. I really do think it’s going to be different this time.”

_Jesus Christ._

Remus Lupin had been listening to a sweet, but _very_ naive girl named Leah tell her friend all about ‘the best couple’s therapist in the world’ for what felt like thirty minutes, but in reality was probably about six. He hoped they'd only be there only long enough to receive their drinks and that he'd be left in peace to do battle with the document that cruelly displayed how long it'd been since he'd added a goddamn thing: 28 minutes.

“She explained all about what was going wrong between David and I. She said–”

The girl proceeded to recount some of the most generic relationship advice Remus had ever heard. He vaguely hoped sweet, naive Leah hadn’t been scammed out of too much money to essentially be read a fortune cookie. 

_Yeah, sorry, but he’s definitely going to keep cheating on you._

“I swear, I can already tell that this woman is a miracle worker. I bet you anything, she could fix any relationship on the planet, literally any two people.”

“Bet.”

A snort from beside him, _shit, had he said that out loud?_ and he glanced up from his laptop to see what must be an Yves Saint Laurent model sitting at the tiny table next to him, looking up from the legal pad he was writing on and smirking as they made eye contact. He really hadn’t thought he’d been that enraptured with the story of David-the-habitual-cheater, but apparently he was invested enough not to have noticed one of the hottest men he’d ever seen in real life sit down not 3 full feet from him. He successfully stopped his eyes from doing a lascivious once-over, but only just. 

"Bet?" Hottie asked under his breath, expression playful.

He mentally scolded himself briefly for preening a little at the attention, but _goddamn_ if those weren’t nice eyes. 

_Stop it. Get a hold of yourself. Don’t do it. Don’t –_

“Bet.”

The flash of a grin and then-

“Excuse me,” Hottie said, getting the girls’ attention, “I’m sorry to interrupt. I couldn’t help but overhear, and I’m wondering if you have that counselor’s contact information on hand? The two of us could really use some outside help.”

“Oh! Um sure, I guess,” a brief pause while she looked between them, “You and him? You’re… not even sitting together.”

A half second of silence, which Remus chose to break with – 

“It’s been quite a rough patch.”

~

“You hear the bullshit advice she gave that poor girl?” The two friends had just left, iced lavender lattes in hand, and Hottie had let out a low whistle before echoing Remus’ doubt that this miracle counselor was any good. “Fifty bucks says this woman won’t be able to tell we’re complete strangers when we see her.”

“‘When’? Wait, for real? You’re serious?”

Hottie seemed like he was trying to suppress a smile. “ _Yes_ I am, and I never back down from a bet. You up for it? Want to see if she can fix _any_ two people?”

_Is this a date?_ Remus thought frantically, before _No, dumbass, people do not go on_ dates _to a psychiatrist._

_Did they?_ It felt like he was being asked on a date. Or was it a challenge? They'd be trying to prove Leah wrong, after all.

He was actually considering going to therapy with a stranger to spite the bad judgement of another stranger. This was _insane_ , this did not happen in real life. 

He had come to work in this coffee shop for a change of scenery, hoping it would break him out of the mental block that had prevented him from getting any work done in the last two weeks. He would have happily called the morning a success if he managed to get a blueberry scone before they ran out. 

“ _C’mon._ My treat?” 

Ok maybe it didn’t happen, but evidently that wasn’t enough to stop it from happening. 

“Yeah, what the hell. I need a break from this anyway.”

Another grin. _Fuck_ this was a bad idea. That playful, mischievous smile was a weapon, and he could tell that Hottie knew how to use it. 

“That’s the spirit. I’ll email her right now.” He had already pulled out his phone.

Ten minutes later, they had a confirmation email from the the office of Dr. Sybill Trelawney, and an appointment for the following Tuesday.

Remus met Hottie’s gray eyes again and brought up what he felt was an important point. 

“If we’re going to be in a committed enough relationship to be going to counseling, I should probably get your name.”

**Author's Note:**

> we-are-swearwolves on tumblr


End file.
